6 Websites Every Tampa Bay Entrepreneur Should Bookmark

Something new is popping up on the Internet every day. Whether it’s a tool or an app or a breakthrough in technology, there’s never a dull moment online. Modern entrepreneurs have to stay on their toes and remain fluid in their business ideologies in order to keep up with the ever-changing digital space. Most small business owners and operators have a few go-to websites that allow them to stay privy to industry news and trends, but modern self-starting entrepreneurs need to stop thinking of themselves as an entity separated from his or her ideas. Your ideas created your business. Your ideas run your business. You are your ideas. Therefore, you are your business.

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erika and bill spooning around

Birthday Boy Bill a Brainstorm and Coastalyfe

Thursday June 18, 2015 brought another fun and productive evening networking and sharing and laughing with my fellow Entrepreneurs here at historic venue NOVA 535 Unique Event Space in downtown St. Pete, affectionately referred to as the ESC, aka the Entrepreneur Social Club. We were celebrating birthdays, of my personal long time amigo Ted Plaskon of Quantum Payroll Services (June 18), over in Tampa (Teddy and I were roommates at UF – TEDDY!!) and our long time ESC member Bill Cason. Bill is one of the nicest and funniest people you’ll ever meet, he was born on June 17th.

So if I had to sum up the Thursday June 18 2015 meeting of the Entrepreneur Social Club, it’d be Birthday Boy Bill a Brainstorm and Coastalyfe. Read on!

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The CoCreativ EDGE of our favorite cities

So how do I describe the Entrepreneur Social Club meeting on Thursday May 28, 2015 in one quick blurb?

The CoCreativ EDGE of our Favorite Cities. Why? Read on!

The tall charming Mr. CoCreativ himself Joseph Warren was kind enough to cross the big scary bridge and visit us from that far away exotic port called Tampa. Joe brought with him the lovely Kelly Wilson, founder of EDGE. EDGE stands for Entrepreneurs Dedicated to Growth and Excellence, a great community that offers their members unity, collaboration, empowerment and promotion thought their EDGE business alliance, formally known as the South Tampa Business Alliance, EDGE Business magazine, and iHeartRadio’s “Getting the EDGE, with Kelly Wilson” Radio Show. Wow what a busy, fabulous lady Kelly is!!

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Kelly Wilson and Joseph Warren

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Chinese Imports Venue Viking and Veal Parmigiana

Tonight was another fabulous Thursday here at historic venue NOVA 535 Unique Event Space in gorgeous downtown St. Petersburg, Florida. See every Thursday we meet, most always at NOVA, sometimes offsite due to NOVA being booked for a private event. Meetings are a fun and productive blend of networking, pitching, reviewing, laughing, drinking and smoking (outside), connecting, spit-balling, brainstorming, teaching, learning and realizing that we Entrepreneurs are part of one big family. The ESC is our family, here to help, support, love, criticise and make the world a much better place.

The quick boil down title of tonight’s weekly Entrepreneur Social Club meeting  is “Chinese Imports Venue Viking and Veal Parmigiana”. Huh? Yup read on…

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The Tasty Succulent and Sweet St. Pete Indie Market

According to their Facebook page, the “St. Pete Indie Market is a monthly makers faire showcasing the best of all things indie, located in the heart of downtown St. Petersburg.” And according to The St. Pete Indie Market Website, their mission is “To promote local arts and culture and to engage and empower our community towards positive growth.” Stated a bit wider than I like to see for their formal mission statement, it’s still full of that good “Hippie – Let’s Save the World” feeling. A feeling that I love to see, hear and experience. One I also help spread, along with my pals and fellow members at Keep St. Pete Local, plus always via my weekly fun and productive  club for business owners and Entrepreneurs, on Thursday Nights, the Entrepreneur Social Club. It’s about connecting the world’s Entrepreneurs and solving our problems. All while having a great time. Like today, bike riding throughout gorgeous downtown St. Pete and eating delicious, well read on, you’ll see…

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4 Takeaways from my First Entrepreneur Social Club Meeting

Since 2009, Michael S. Novilla has been at the helm of the Entrepreneur Social Club, held every Thursday, most always at NOVA 535 Unique Event Space in Saint Petersburg, Florida. And since 2009, Michael has had only a few simple rules for membership into this club: No liars, no bullies, no thieves, no religion and no politics. Anything else is pretty much fair game as long as it’s on-topic. And if it’s not, Michael has a bell and he’s not afraid to ring it.

As a newbie to the Entrepreneur Social Club, aka ESC, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Michael mentioned that although each meeting has a generally similar structure, topics and attendance can range quite a bit. Sometimes meetings are more intimate with 10 people sharing ideas, sometimes 50+ people come to find out what ESC can offer them.

In either case, there’s booze via a fully stocked cash bar, with lots of delicious local brews too. Hooray booze.

esc-booze

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Wear a Condom when navigating the Internet of Things

On Thursday April 9, 2015 we gathered once again at my 1920 historic yet modern wedding and event venue NOVA 535 Unique Event Space, here in beautiful downtown St. Petersburg, Florida. Last Thursday April 2nd we took a break from the productive meeting side of the Entrepreneur Social Club, affectionately called the ESC, to enjoy a birthday party in honor of NOVA 535 which turned a lucky 7, myself turning 47 and my longtime pal Mario turned the big 50. We’ve been meeting weekly since 2009, to learn, laugh, listen, help, party, share, grow ourselves and our businesses, all while helping those around us AND avoiding religion and politics, which are both strictly forbidden by club rules.  See that’s why even when we argue, we still get along. Genius!

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A new member suggested we try SAZON for dinner, which about 10 of us did, and wow was the Spanish food delicious! We’ll definitely be back for more.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sazon-Restaurante/164642900398016  2924 5th Ave N, St Petersburg, FL 33713  (727) 321-7090

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Birthday Gaming with Pinball and Mr Do at the TI Fun Center

Birthday Gaming with Pinball and Mr Do at the TI Fun Center

I’m a gamer at heart, though these days my gaming is expressed solely here in the real world, via social media and event planning. I was born in 1968 so was just a lad when the first PCs came out, the Atari 800 and Macintosh, Commodore 64, etc along with video arcades, populated with the likes of Atari and Nintendo games. I spent a LOT OF $$, one quarter at a time, avoiding flashing monsters, plants begin dropped on my head and incoming missile strikes.

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April 1, 2015, is my 47th birthday, yes I’m a proper FOOL, and I was invited to join my brother Chris and his son Christopher, for Birthday Gaming with Pinball and Mr Do at the TI Fun Center. A business we’ve been supporting for decades, except now it’s out in Seminole – same name TI Fun Center, different address. Good thing is that it’s STILL AWESOME and provided a delightful afternoon for all generations of gamers.

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